NBA 2K11 - X-Box 360

Post by **Leisher** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 11:00 am

Picked this up because a few of my friends and I are going to do an online league, just like we did/do with NCAA Football.

Screw all that though. I want to talk about the "Create a player mode" in this game. It is, by far, the best version of this sort of gameplay ever. You create your guy, which is REALLY skewed towards black people. So much so that you honestly feel like the game developers were a bit racist. On top of that, this part of the game actually sucks. When you see the big name stars on the court, you'll see the limitations of the face creator as many might resemble the star, but they don't look like them.

(NOTE: change Sim game length to match your game length or your stats will get screwed up compared to the rest of the league.)

Anyway, after you've made you guy, you assign skill points to him in different categories: Offense, Defense, Mental, and Physical. With each categories are various skills that get better with every skill point you assign. You're given 10000 skill points to start off, which sounds like a ton, but it isn't. Wisely, the game makes the cost of skill points you need more expensive than those you don't. For example, my guy is a three point specialist and improving my three point shot cost 845 at my current level. Meanwhile, improving my dunk costs 81 points.

Once you get your skill points assigned, you're given the chance to earn more via drills. There are around 8 drills you can participate in that help you improve aspects of your game from shooting, dribbling, rebounding, post play, etc. Each can earn you skill points based on how well you do. Hint: Pick drills that are geared towards your guy's specialty.

You now also have access to three games that are essentially your combine. Your play there determines where you get drafted. (I was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies late in the first round.)

Once the draft is over, you're given a few more drills and 4 summer league games to hone your skills and get the feel of the game. Brilliant design to not only let you do what actual recruits do, but also ease you into games.

Once the season starts you'll most likely be riding the pine as the 12th man on the team. This is really cool because I haven't mentioned the best part of this mode: You have zero control over anyone except your guy. None. No switching to the team's best player and lighting it up from there. You will literally watch the game through your guy's eyes from his seat on the bench. Of course, you can sim the game until you're put in so don't worry about getting bored.

When you get in, make the most of it, and this is where the game really shines. This game performs in a more realistic manner than other basketball games. It's not just about running down court and holding your shoot button until the top of your jump. Yeah, that's there, but you need to pass, get open, be in a good spot, etc. The computer will call plays and mark spots on the floor for you, then throw out arrows showing you where to go. At that point you'll be setting picks, screens, getting out of the way, or coming off screens for wide open buckets. You will often go down the court and never touch the ball. This is a dramatic change from every other bball game where you control the whole team. It can be frustrating. For example: I think Rudy Gay is a ball hog and it pisses me off when Mike Connely doesn't pass me the rock for the wide open 3 when I come off the screen.

Defense is the same. Your job is to defend your assignment and keep him from getting wide open shots. Meanwhile, you're also trying to get rebounds and steals. It's tough! I've completely shut down guys, and been lit up by others. Earlier in the season I shut Kobe down. I think he got 2 points in the game (5 minute quarters). Last night he lit my ass up. I couldn't stop him.

That's another fantastic part of this mode: streaks. In my early days in the league I was coming off the bench and raining threes. Now I start and while I still rain threes, I can get into slumps. Big slumps. Not just slumps that last a quarter or a half, or even a game, but literally multiple game slumps. Oh, and there's a skill to improve that helps you break slumps... The game sort of toys with you like that. My team started out 3-0 with a win over the Lakers, and I was scoring 20+ points a game (5 minute quarters). I thought this is too easy. We then dropped 4 in a row, and while I was doing ok in scoring, when my team starting winning I went into a scoring slump.

Did I mention the press conference after games where your answer affects team chemistry, local fan support, and league popularity? Or how the announcers, and your home stadium announcer will actually say your name? The home announcer yells it when you score just like in real life...except for you being in the NBA. How about the endorsements deals? Being able to ask for a trade? Management asking your opinion on trades when you're a big enough star? The league doing trades without your input when you're not? (I did a double take during a game when the backup center came in and it was Kendrick Perkins.)

I have no idea about the rest of NBA 2K11 yet, but this mode is fantastic and addictive as hell. Not just my opinion either. So far 4 of us have picked the game up and all are mesmerized by this mode. A lot more than 100000 people are playing this mode according to the stats that show me ranked just above 100000 in the world. At one point I was close to 200000, so a lot of people are doing this mode.

At $40, which is $20 less than other just released sports game, this is worth a look if you're a sports game fan.

Malcolm · Post by **Malcolm** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 12:39 pm

Some of those sports games have the season/franchise modes bordering on a damn job. I remember simming through NHL '95 seasons on my Sega years ago thinking, "Does anyone actually play all eighty fucking games?"

Post by **Leisher** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 2:37 pm

No shit, but you know there are people out there who play full seasons with games at their full times. Using NBA 2K11 as an example, I guarantee you that there are people out there playing this mode with 12 minute quarters AND when they're benched, don't sim ahead and instead just watch from the bench. That's a 82 48 minute games not counting pregame, injuries, timeouts, free throws, tip offs, out of bounds, substitutions, post game stats and highlights, replays, half time, and the post game press conference. (All can be skipped or fast forwarded, which is what I do.) Oh, and that's all prior to post season play, AND I wasn't including pre-season.

Insane...maybe.

I'm playing 5 minute quarters and I'm 40 games into the season since last weekend. I've limited time to play on weeknights and was finishing Dragon Age: Origins this week.

So a game set for 20 minutes doesn't really last that long when you consider half of it will be simulated as my guy will be on the bench.

Plus, I have a separate TV for watching actual TV, and my computer right there as well. So that helps.

If someone was a big NBA fan, and had a setup like mine, I wouldn't judge them negatively for going the full season at max time. Why not?

Baseball fans do it all the time. Hell, they have GM simulators where you not only manage every aspect of a team down to hot dog prices, but you can actually watch the games. When I say "watch the games" I mean watch the stats of a game "live" and see indicators when a guy is on first, second, etc. The fact that they made it means someone does it!

A hobby is a hobby.